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Match Report

Full Time Report From Oakwell

A dull, grey, wet February afternoon greeted the two inform sides when they emerged from the dressing rooms just before three. Pool who were forced to make one change to the side that beat Reading seven days ago as ever were backed by a vocal support who to their credit were the only ones who made any noise, such was the lack of atmosphere at Oakwell those in the press box could hear every order barked by the players as they tried to get to grips on a tricky surface.

Barnsley enjoyed plenty of the possession in the opening half hour, indeed the stats showed that the hosts had had 61% of the play in the first thirty minutes, but despite having seen the majority of the ball Matthew Gilks and the Pool defence were only tested by two long range efforts that flew well wide and two corners that were snuffed out by the Pool back four who were once again marshalled well by the excellent Ian Evatt.

At the other end Luke Steele was a virtual spectator although on 34 minutes the stopper was forced to race to claim at the feet of DJ Campbell after Ormerod had flicked on Gilks long clearance.

A Carl Dickinson free kick on 36 minutes warmed the hands of Matt Gilks, the former Pool loanee stepped up to smash a free kick over the wall after Ian Evatt had been penalised for a foul on Jon Macken.

On the stroke of half time, Ian Evatt was harshly penalised for a foul on Macken, once again Carl Dickinson stepped up to take the resulting free kick, but this time the full back drilled it straight at the wall.

Half Time Barnsley 0 Blackpool 0

H.T. Stats

Barnsley

BLACKPOOL

52%

Possession

48%

3

Attempts On Target

0

3

Attempts Off Target

0

3

Corners

0

5

Fouls

6

Barnsley started the second half like a team possessed , Adam Hammill saw two efforts blocked whilst Carl Dickinson curled another free kick well wide from a good position.

Brett Ormerod became the first player in the notebook on 55 minutes following a late challenge on Teixeira.

change Keith Southern drilled over from long range on the hour two minutes later, Ian Holloway then threw Hameur Bouazza and Stephen Dobbie on in place of Brett Ormerod and DJ Campbell

Bouazza's impact was immediate earning Pool their first corner of the half but Ian Evatt could only direct his header from Vaughan's cross over.

Barnsley made their first change of the afternoon when Iain Hume replaced Daniel Bogdanovic with 18 minutes left.

Charlie Adam tried an effort from just inside the Barnsley half on 74 minutes but Steele was alert to the effort and scurried back to collect.

David Vaughan picked up Pool's second yellow card of the afternoon on 75 minutes for a foul, the resulting free kick was swung into the mix by Bobby Hassell and an unmarked IAIN HUME was given all the time and space to fire into the bottom left hand corner.

Alex Baptiste became the next name in the notebook for a late challenge on Adam Hammill.

With ten minutes remaining Pool threw on Jason Euell in place of Ben Burgess, but it was the hosts who continued to press for a second, Adam Hammill's low skidding shot across the face of goal almost bobbled beyond GIlks.

You could tell it wasn't to be the Seasiders afternoonwhen with six minutes from time Stephen Crainey whipped in a great cross from the left but despite the best efforts of Jason Euell and Hameur Bouazza the ball skidded behind for a goal kick.

Keith Southern almost nicked an equaliser when he got on the end of a Jason Euell knockdown